A Borromean Islands day trip is one of the highlights of a visit to Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, and it’s surprisingly easy to organise independently.
We visited from Stresa, using the ferry to hop between Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre. Each island is quite different, so it’s worth allowing a full day if you want to see all three without rushing.
Isola Bella is known for its elaborate palace and terraced gardens, Isola Madre is largely covered by beautiful gardens surrounding another Borromeo palace, while tiny Isola dei Pescatori feels completely different again, with narrow lanes and restaurants lining the waterfront.
You can easily visit from Stresa, but it’s also possible to take a day trip to the Borromean Islands from Milan.
Here’s how we did it, along with everything you need to plan your own day.
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How to Get to Borromean Islands
The easiest jumping-off point for the Borromean Islands is Stresa, on the western shore of Lake Maggiore.
Getting to the Borromean Islands From Milan
If you’re staying in Milan, you can visit the Borromean Islands as a day trip without hiring a car.
Take the train from Milano Centrale to Stresa, then walk from Stresa railway station down towards the lake and ferry terminal. The train journey takes around an hour, depending on the service.
Check current train times and fares on the Trenitalia website before you travel.
If you’re using a regional train, there’s generally no advantage in booking weeks ahead purely to get a cheaper fare.
Once you arrive in Stresa, you can spend the day island hopping before returning to Milan.
Getting to the Borromean Islands From Stresa
If you’re already staying in Stresa, it’s even easier.
Boats leave from the waterfront and connect Stresa with Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre, allowing you to get off and explore each island before continuing to the next.
If you already know you want to visit the islands, you can book your boat ticket before you arrive. This can be particularly handy during the busy summer months.
Book your Stresa to Borromean Islands ferry tickets in advance →
Your boat ticket doesn’t include admission to the Borromeo palaces and gardens on Isola Bella and Isola Madre, so you’ll need separate attraction tickets if you want to visit them.
Ferry timetables vary through the season, so check the schedule for your travel date and make a note of the last boat back to Stresa.
Click to navigate the Borromean Islands map below
Best Order to Visit the Borromean Islands
If you want to visit all three islands in one day, I recommend:
Isola Bella → Isola dei Pescatori → Isola Madre
This is the order we visited them and it works particularly well.
Start with Isola Bella, where you’ll probably spend the most time exploring the palace and gardens.
Continue to Isola dei Pescatori around lunchtime, then spend the afternoon exploring the gardens and palace on Isola Madre before returning to Stresa.
Book your Stresa to Borromean Islands ferry tickets →
Isola Bella
Isola Bella was our first stop and, if you only have time to visit one of the Borromean Islands, this is the one I would choose.
The island is dominated by the magnificent Palazzo Borromeo and its elaborate Italian gardens, and you’ll want to allow at least a couple of hours here.
The transformation of Isola Bella began in the 17th century when Carlo III Borromeo started creating a palace and gardens on what had previously been a small rocky island inhabited by fishermen.
The island was named after his wife, Isabella d’Adda.
If you plan to visit the palace and gardens, you can book your admission ticket in advance.
Book your Isola Bella palace and gardens ticket →
Inside Palazzo Borromeo
The palace is much bigger than I expected, with grand rooms filled with antique furniture, artworks, tapestries and other treasures collected by the Borromeo family.
One of the rooms we saw was the bedroom used by Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine when they stayed on Isola Bella in 1797.
There are plenty of impressive rooms, although not everything was to my taste. I still think the dinner setting we saw in the dining room might be one of the ugliest I’ve ever seen!
One of the most unusual parts of the palace is downstairs.
The grottoes are a series of rooms decorated with pebbles, shells and stone. They were designed as somewhere cool to escape the summer heat and feel completely different from the grand rooms upstairs.
From here, you emerge into what was my favourite part of Isola Bella – the gardens.
The Gardens of Isola Bella
The gardens are arranged over ten terraces, creating an incredible formal garden that rises above Lake Maggiore.
The centrepiece is the huge Teatro Massimo, covered in statues and topped by a unicorn – the heraldic symbol of the Borromeo family.
But despite all that grandeur, something else was getting plenty of attention when we visited.
The white peacocks.
They wander freely through the gardens and certainly know how to put on a show for the cameras.
Make sure you also take some time to enjoy the views across Lake Maggiore rather than rushing straight through to catch the next boat.
How long to allow: Around 2–3 hours if you want to visit both the palace and gardens.
Isola dei Pescatori
Our second stop was Isola dei Pescatori, also known as Isola Superiore.
This island feels completely different from Isola Bella. There’s no grand palace or formal garden. Instead, you’ll find a tiny fishing village with narrow cobbled lanes, colourful multi-storey houses and restaurants lining the waterfront.
It’s also the only one of the Borromean Islands that is permanently inhabited. Fishing has been part of island life for generations, although these days tourism is very noticeable too.
As you wander around, look up at the long balconies on some of the traditional houses. These were once used by local fishermen for drying their catch.
We didn’t need nearly as long here as we did on Isola Bella, making it a great place to stop for lunch. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes, many overlooking Lake Maggiore, as well as small shops selling souvenirs and local products.
Take some time to wander through the little lanes rather than sticking only to the waterfront. The island is tiny, so you really can’t get too lost!
If you’re interested in its fishing history, there is also a small Fishing Museum (Museo della Pesca).
How long to allow: Around 1–2 hours, including lunch.
Isola Madre
Our final stop was Isola Madre, the largest of the Borromean Islands and perhaps the most peaceful of the three.
While Isola Bella is all about grandeur and formal terraces, Isola Madre feels much more like a huge botanical garden.
Much of the island is covered in gardens filled with plants and trees from around the world.
After the crowds and activity of the first two islands, I enjoyed simply wandering through the gardens here.
There are lovely views across Lake Maggiore towards the mainland and plenty of shady spots if you’re visiting on a warm day.
Keep an eye out for the birds too. We saw peacocks wandering freely around the island, including one that decided to join us near the cafe.
You’ll need an admission ticket to explore the gardens and Palazzo Borromeo.
Book your Isola Madre palace and gardens ticket →
Palazzo Borromeo on Isola Madre
There is another Borromeo palace on Isola Madre, but it has quite a different feel from the grand palace on Isola Bella.
Inside you’ll find rooms furnished with pieces belonging to the Borromeo family, along with paintings, tapestries and other collections.
One of the more unusual displays is the collection of puppets, scenery and historic puppet theatres. The Borromeo family had a tradition of putting on theatrical performances, and some of the elaborate sets and puppets have been preserved inside the palace.
Near the palace is the small family chapel, overlooking a pond. When we visited, the frogs living in the pond were making an incredible amount of noise – not quite the peaceful garden soundtrack I was expecting!
There’s a cafe nearby, making this a nice place to stop for a coffee before heading back to the boat.
How long to allow: Around 1½–2 hours for the gardens and palace.
Are There More Than Three Borromean Islands?
Although most day trips focus on Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre, they aren’t the only Borromean Islands.
There is also Isolino di San Giovanni, a tiny private island near Pallanza that is not open to visitors, and Isola La Malghera, an even smaller uninhabited island between Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori.
For a day trip from Stresa, though, it’s the three main islands you’ll be interested in.
Borromean Islands Tickets and Entry Fees
There are two different costs to consider when planning your day: the boat between the islands and admission to the palaces and gardens.
Your boat ticket doesn’t include entry to Palazzo Borromeo and the gardens on Isola Bella or Isola Madre. Isola dei Pescatori is free to visit.
The Borromean Islands Are Seasonal
One important thing to know before planning your trip is that Isola Bella and Isola Madre are seasonal attractions.
The palaces and gardens generally open from spring until autumn and close to visitors over winter.
The exact opening and closing dates change each year, so if you’re travelling early or late in the season, check the official Isole Borromee website before making your plans.
The boat timetable also changes throughout the year, with more frequent services during the main visitor season.
Tickets for Isola Bella and Isola Madre
If you want to explore the palaces and gardens, you’ll need admission tickets in addition to your boat ticket.
You can book each island separately:
Book your Isola Bella palace and gardens ticket →
Book your Isola Madre palace and gardens ticket →
If you’re planning to visit both, combination tickets may also be available, so it’s worth comparing the options for your travel date.
Boat + Entry Ticket Option
There’s also an option that combines boat transfers from Stresa with entry to both Isola Bella and Isola Madre.
Book Isola Bella + Isola Madre entry with boat transfers →
This could be a convenient option if those are the two islands you’re most interested in and you’d prefer to organise your transport and admission with one booking.
There is one important catch: it doesn’t include a stop at Isola dei Pescatori.
If you want to follow the three-island itinerary I’ve described in this guide – including stopping on Isola dei Pescatori for lunch – I’d book the island-hopping boat and attraction tickets separately.
How Long Do You Need for the Borromean Islands?
Allow a full day if you want to visit all three islands.
As a rough guide:
- Isola Bella: 2–3 hours
- Isola dei Pescatori: 1–2 hours, including lunch
- Isola Madre: 1½–2 hours
You’ll also need to allow for boat trips and some waiting time between services.
If you’re coming from Milan, get an early start because you’ll also have the train journey at either end of the day.
If you’re short on time and can only visit one island, I’d choose Isola Bella. It was the highlight of the three for me.
Tours to the Borromean Islands
You don’t need a tour to visit the Borromean Islands. We visited independently using the boats from Stresa, and it’s an easy day to organise yourself.
If you’re staying in Milan and don’t want to organise the trains, boats and timings yourself, you can instead book a Lake Maggiore day trip that includes transport from Milan.
If you’re already staying in Stresa, guided and private boat tours are also available.
Check Lake Maggiore and Borromean Islands day tours →
For independent travellers, though, I think taking the boat from Stresa and exploring at your own pace is the way to go.
Should You Stay in Stresa?
While you can visit the Borromean Islands from Milan, staying in Stresa makes the day much more relaxed.
You can start exploring in the morning without first travelling from Milan and won’t have to worry about catching a train back after a long day.
Stresa also has a lovely waterfront promenade, restaurants and cafes, and makes a good base for spending more time around Lake Maggiore.
If your Italy itinerary allows it, I’d consider staying for at least one night.
Check accommodation in Stresa →
Stay Overnight on Isola Bella
For something a little different, you can even stay overnight on Isola Bella or Isola dei Pescatori.
Apartments have been created inside some of the renovated fishermen’s houses, giving you the chance to experience the island after most of the day-trippers have left.
Most have kitchen facilities and some can accommodate up to four people.
Check accommodation on Isola Bella →
Tips for Visiting the Borromean Islands
Start early. There’s plenty to see, especially on Isola Bella and Isola Madre.
Check the last boat back. Take a photo or screenshot of the timetable so you have it with you during the day.
Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll do quite a bit of walking through the palaces and gardens, with steps and uneven surfaces in places.
Visit Isola Bella first. It’s where you’re likely to spend the most time, so don’t leave it until late in the day.
Have lunch on Isola dei Pescatori. It has the biggest choice of restaurants and cafes and fits naturally between the other two islands.
Remember that boat and attraction tickets are separate. You’ll need both if you want to visit the palaces and gardens.
Check seasonal opening dates. Don’t assume the palaces and gardens will be open if you’re travelling in early spring or late autumn.
Don’t rush. Three islands are plenty for one day. Leave yourself time to enjoy the gardens, have lunch and take in the Lake Maggiore views.
Is a Day Trip to the Borromean Islands Worth It?
For me, the Borromean Islands were a great way to spend a day on Lake Maggiore.
What I particularly liked was how different the three islands were.
Isola Bella has the grand palace and elaborate gardens, Isola dei Pescatori is all narrow lanes and waterfront restaurants, while Isola Madre feels greener and more peaceful.
They’re also easy to visit independently. Once you’ve made your way to Stresa, you can use the boats to hop between the islands and explore each one at your own pace.
If you have a full day, I’d visit all three. If you’re short on time, Isola Bella would be my pick.
Ready to plan your day? Book your Stresa to Borromean Islands ferry tickets in advance →
We spent six weeks travelling around Italy. Take a look at my other Italy posts for more ideas for your trip.
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Thank you for this. Love the photos. We’re going back to Stresa in September and are really looking forward to it.
Thanks Gary. One day I plan to go and stay in Stresa to be able to see it properly rather than just an hour or two.